“There were so many first responders there trying to save those children,” Christine Weiss, spokeswoman for the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, told the Palm Beach Post. “They did the best that they could.”

The road was closed for hours after the crash, Wysocky said.

“There was extensive damage to both cars,” he said. “This is going to be a long investigation.”

Wysocky said investigators were trying to determine how many people were ejected from the van and how many were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

“It’s tragic anytime you have kids involved,” he said. “But to lose four children in one crash is unimaginable.”